From seemingly unimportant daily choices, like deciding what to eat for lunch, to huge life changing decisions, like choosing our future career, we face many situations where we have to make difficult decisions.
The truth is that you would just be floating in a tank filled with fluid.
사실은여러분이액체로가득찬탱크에떠있을뿐이다.
If the Experience Machine was available to you and guaranteed to work flawlessly, would you plug into it for life, pre-programming your life experiences?
Thomas Nagel is a famed professor of philosophy at New York University.
Thomas Nagel은뉴욕대학교의저명한철학교수이다.
He addresses issues of noninterference and the meaningfulness of life in a story.
그는한이야기에서불간섭과삶의의미심장함에대한주제를다룬다.
One day, he noticed a little spider living in the urinal of the restroom at Princeton University, where he was teaching.
어느날그는그가가르치는프린스턴대학교의화장실소변기에사는작은거미를발견했다.
"The spider appeared to have an awful life, living in a smelly and dirty place.
"그거미는냄새나고더러운곳에살면서아주나쁜인생을사는것같았어요.
He didn't seem to like it.
그는그것을좋아하는것처럼보이지않았죠.
Whenever I went to the restroom, the spider seemed to try to scramble out of the way.
제가화장실에갈때마다거미는그곳을나가려고노력하는것처럼보였습니다.
Often, he would get caught, fall, and get soaked by the flushing water.
그는자주변기물에잡히고, 떨어지고, 젖었습니다.
The worst part was that there was no way for the spider to get out and no way to tell if he even wanted to.
최악인부분은거미가그곳을나갈수있는방법이없었고, 그가그러고싶은지조차말할방법이없었다는것입니다.
None of the other students or professors did anything to alter the situation.
다른학생들이나교수들중아무도그상황을바꾸기위해무언가를하지않았습니다.
One day toward the end of the term, I took a paper towel from the wall dispenser and extended it to him.
학기말을향해가고있던어느날, 저는휴지한장을벽디스펜서에서꺼내그에게내밀었습니다.
His legs grasped the end of the towel, and I lifted him out and placed him on the floor.
그의다리는휴지의끝을붙잡았고, 저는그를들어올려서바닥에놓아두었습니다.
He just sat there, not moving a muscle.
그는거기에근육하나움직이지않고앉아있기만했습니다.
I nudged him to go anywhere he wanted."
저는그가원하는어디로든가라고그를콕밀었습니다."
Was it okay for Nagel to act out of empathy, assuming that the spider would fare better ― and perhaps even enjoy life? outside of its normal existence?